FS-2025-0001-576086

Subject: Public Comment Supporting the “No Action” Alternative – Opposing the Rescission of the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule To: USDA Forest Service Planning Team Re: Notice of Intent to Rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule (90 FR 42179) Dear USDA Forest Service Planning Team, As a trail advocate, mountain biker, and member of the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association (SORBA), I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed rescission of the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. I urge the Forest Service to select the “No Action” alternative, maintaining the vital protections provided by the 2001 Roadless Rule. Inventoried Roadless Areas (IRAs) protect intact watersheds, preserve natural landscapes, prevent harmful forest fragmentation, and safeguard irreplaceable backcountry mountain biking experiences. As someone who not only recreates in Roadless Areas, but also works within the mountain biking and trail industry, I have witnessed firsthand how special these spaces are. Pisgah National Forest was one of the first places I got to experience mountain biking in a remote area and it was an adventure unlike any other. I continue to travel back and know so many individuals who travel from all over the country to experience the Pisgah trails, and other Roadless Areas, for the adventure and memories they provide. We need to protect these experiences for future generations while we still can. Rescinding the 2001 Rule threatens to open these prized lands to road construction and resource extraction, risking the integrity of beloved non-motorized trail networks, increasing the spread of invasive species, and damaging the outdoor recreation economy that local communities rely upon. The Forest Service should prioritize protecting these unique backcountry spaces. Please uphold existing protections and adopt the “No Action” alternative in the Environmental Impact Statement. Sincerely, Madison Taylor Lane